TT eSPORTS Saphira Gaming Mouse Review

Like A Toss

Last time we reviewed a TT eSPORTS mouse, it was the Level 10M. It was a unique looking piece of hardware and certainly a must buy for gamers wanting something that performs well and stands out. Well we are back again with another TT eSPORTS mouse, it may not be as fancy looking compared to the Level 10M but looks can be deceiving.

The Important Stuff

Sensor Type – Optical (DPI-3500)

Dimensions – 115 x 63 x 38mm

5 Programmable Buttons

32kb On-Board Memory

5 Gaming Profiles

1.8 Braided USB Cable – Gold Plated USB

Street Price – $55

Design

The Saphira is the first official mouse designed by Aleksey Krupnyk or otherwise known as White RA. A famous StarCraft 2 player from Ukraine. Out of the box, the design looks simple – nothing over the top which is the way it should be. The overall body is covered in a black rubber finish which is quite smooth on the hands. Gloss is never a good design as sweat either minor or excessive can cause slips while using the mouse, the Saphira prevents that. The sides of the mouse also feature rubber grips so your thumb and pinky will get nice snug fit.

Tt eSPORTS ‘Battle Dragon’ logo makes an appearance on the rear of the device which pulses in red. The scroll wheel and DPI indicators on the left grip are the other things that glow red.

Underneath the mouse, you’ll find the DPI, Polling Rate and Function Lock button. These little buttons help change settings on the fly. You’ll also find the weight compartment here where you can adjust how heavy the mouse weighs using the mini 4.5 gram blocks.

The Saphira is connected to the computer using a 1.8m braided cable with a gold-plated USB connector on the end which is quite standard for today’s range of gaming mouses.

Software

You can customise the mouse features using the Software which is available for Free from the Official Site. It’s neat and simple setup allows user to create their custom profiles with ease. It features a diagram of the mouse which you can interact with so you know what macros you’re assigning to each button on the device. You can also customise the performance features such as DPI, Click Speed, Polling Rate etc. within the software and assign it to each profile. Lighting on the mouse wheel and logo can also be set to be either on or off.

PERFORMANCE & HANDLING

The higher oval shape of the Saphira helps elevate the hand off the mat which is instantly a plus one in the books. This design eliminates any drag your hands may cause with a lower profile mouse proving effortless handling and precision. The higher design also benefits gamers who tend to play in longer sessions.

Everything you need to game is laid out well and has a natural response. The side buttons are designed on an angle where accidental clicks won’t happen. The scroll wheel on the Saphira has to be the best I’ve used on a Tt eSPORTS mouse – even better than the Level 10M. It’s chunky design and accurate scrolling behaviour is really an outstanding feature on this mouse, I found myself performing well in games such as Battlefield 3 where using scroll is a factor in changing guns and made little to no mistake with the Saphira.

As the mouse was designed for RTS play by ‘White-Ra’ – it wasn’t particularly aimed for other types of gaming. The profile and tweaker buttons are located underneath the mouse which makes it near impossible to change while mid-gameplay. It’s an awkward design where most mouses have it in a position where profile changing on-the-fly is possible without taking your focus off the game. Unfortunately this is where the Saphira comes down on the scoring . While it maybe somewhat beneficial for the profile/tweaker buttons to be located underneath to prevent accidental changes, the idea of including a profile lock button baffles me. Why include a lock button when the buttons to tweak the mouse is out of reach? Why not leave the lock button there and place the profile button in a better position. This design can only benefit players who don’t change DPI at all – for the all rounder gamers like me, having an easy on-the-fly button is an advantage.

FINAL WORDS

The Tt eSPORTS Saphira is a mouse designed for extreme comfort and accuracy. Despite having questionable DPI and Profile button locations, the mouse performs exceptionally well in many games. However if you prefer an easier method of on-the-fly profile switching, you might find the Saphira to be quite the hassle. Those who can look past it, the creation of ‘White-Ra’ could possibly be something you want.